I Bruise Easily
by The Cliffhanger Girl
Summary: Her family is falling apart...with her mother being a hoarder, and her parents constantly fighting, she reluctantly turns to her beloved boyfriend which leads to a much needed, awkward talk.


Hey guys! I've been toying around with the Goldsworthy/Edwards family and came up with this oneshot. It's a bit different than most of mine, but I have never seen this written before so I hope you enjoy the little twist. Please Enjoy this one shot I'd love to call "I Bruise Easily"…

**Twitter:** TheCliffyG

No Beta Reader, so ignore mistakes if any (:

**Please Note:** Morty never died in this story, he lives on.

_**WARNING: This one shot contains a mix of sadness/sarcasm/happiness/comfort/funny, awkward Eclare moments**_

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**_I Bruise Easily_**

Clare handed her father the last ounce of _**garbage**_ that had surrounded her bed, and her dad then exposed of the trash into a bag. In doing so, she felt her whole world lift off her fragile, shaking shoulders.

"Good job Clare bear," her father patted her curls as if she was a child, and not the sixteen year old girl who had a boyfriend who suffered from bipolar disorder, OCD, and hoarding, whom she had fallen deeply in love with.

"Do you think mom is going to be mad that we threw out some of her stuff?"

There was no doubt in Clare's mind that her mother would be severely angered by her family's actions. But, her father seemed so happy that Clare's room was finally free of her mother's _disease,_ that Clare just had to believe her mother would not be angered.

The curly haired teen sighed in relief when she was finally able to walk to her bed without stepping on a sharp object that would puncture her skin, or tripping over a pile of useless magazines with old newspapers.

"Maybe she'll be proud Clare," her father whispered from her door, with an unsure tone.

A few hours went by, as Clare embraced the silence in her house. It had been a while since her mother was not home from work yet, and her father had taken the day off. Randall was never much of a talker, but at the moment, Clare didn't seem to mind.

_**Buzz **_

_**Buzz**_

_**Buzz**_

Clare's eyelids fluttered open to the sound of her phone vibrating. She smiled, seeing that she could glance upon her phone in an instant without digging through piles and mountains of papers with _**useless **_junk.

_Hey Clare, just wondering if you want to head over to the Dot with Adam and I. After eating a meal on me, you can come over for a movie night…just you and I ;) _

_Love, _

_Eli _

_P.S. If you want to, I'll pull a couple of strings with Cece and we can watch that movie the Journal or whatever. Only for my special girl, of course. _

A smile tugged up on her lips, her boyfriend always having the ability to rest Clare's worries. No matter what mood she was in, he always balanced her out to give her a sense of relief. She grinned, before texting him back…

_I think I'll pass, only because my mom should be home soon for dinner and we cleaned out my room. I know, you're probably shocked, but I just couldn't take it anymore. And for your information, the movie is called 'The Notebook', get your sap movies straight Goldsworthy ;) _

_Love, Clare_

The door downstairs swung open, a gust of cool air filling the house, and then it was quickly slammed shut, the sound echoing the-what seemed like vacant- house. Clare slipped her phone into her jean pocket and sat up in her bed, letting her feet dangle down nervously.

"Clare honey, how was your-," her mother inhaled a sharp gasp, her heart pounding to its own erratic beat, "W-What did you do the room? W-Where is all my stuff? W-W-Where is everything? What did you do you ungrateful little bitch!"

"Helen! Helen stop it!" Randall wrapped his arms around his uncontrollable wife's body, preventing her from hitting Clare.

The second Randall had placed his flailing wife down on her two feet, the screaming match begun. It's as if the moment they got downstairs, and away from Clare, the bell had rung and it was _okay_ to yell.

"How could you let her throw out my things? I had very important-," Randall cut off Helen, because he, along with Clare, had had enough with her compulsive hoarding, "No Helen! No, okay? Just stop! Your daughter doesn't deserve to live this way, give her a chance to live! You've lived your life, and you've cluttered up this house with all your tarnished memories! We've had enough!"

Helen's eyes widened, tears streaming down her face, "Clare was fine in her room, she never complained to me! All of that stuff was-."

"It was useless Helen! It was a fucking fire hazard to your daughter, and you're sitting here, thinking that putting your daughter in danger was okay?" Clare's tears came quickly, as the voices of her parents had risen with each statement being said. Helen and Randall stared at each other, rage fuming through their bodies as Clare pulled her knees up to her chest, regret washing over her.

"She wasn't in any danger! I had so many things in her room that were important to me! I had that receipt from Macy's when I bought that headband for Clare, and the first pencil that I let Clare use in first grade! Those had significant meaning to me!" Helen yelled, as Clare heard her mother's footsteps pounding up the steps.

Before everyone knew it, Clare was sobbing, as Helen destroyed her clean room. Clare's school books had been thrown across her bed, hitting the wall with a _slam._ Helen tarred up her daughters room in search of that receipt, along with Clare's first used pencil, and one of Clare's old rubber bands from when she used to have her braces.

"Where is everything? Where did you put that pencil? Where's that receipt? Talk to me!" Helen glared daggers at her daughter, rage boiling up in her body as Clare choked out, "It's in the garbage outside..."

Randall flashed Clare a sympathetic look from the door, as his daughter was shaken up due to her mother's actions. Helen stormed out of her room, and out the front door. Randall watched from the window as his wife dug through the bags of garbage.

"I told you we shouldn't have touched anything," Clare whimpered, tears burning her cheeks like acid on skin.

"Clare, I-," Randall's apology was cut short when Helen's voice echoed the house, "YOU THREW OUT MY SEARS CARDBOARD BOX! HOW COULD YOU? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!"

"Clare, honey, I want you to go over to Eli's house, or Adam's. It isn't safe for you here right now, and I don't want you to see us yell," Randall informed his shaking daughter, as she nodded, "I'll distract your mother, but please, get out quick. I'll text you when she's done yelling, I'm sorry this had to happen baby girl."

He wrapped his arms around his daughter, and she sobbed, "T-This is all my fault, I'm sorry."

"Don't think that-," Helens voice screeched, cutting Randall's comforting words off, "Where are you, you little bitch! You threw out that animal cracker box! What the hell is wrong with you? That was amazing cardboard!"

"Just go Clare."

And with that, Clare darted out of her house, but only sobbed harder, watching her mother digging through the garbage while screaming at the top of her lungs. Neighbors came out, flashing Helen and Randall concerned looks, as Clare turned on her heels in the opposite direction, and ran…

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**ELI POV**

"Oh shit bro, I think I'm going down harder than the Titanic," I groaned, rubbing my stomach underneath my shirt as Adam scoffed, "Dude, all you ate was a well done hamburger with onions, mustard, ketchup, Swiss cheese and a couple of pounds of salt. No big deal, you should be fine."

"I'm never doing any of your dares ever again," I whimpered jokingly, as Adam sipped his coke, then asked, "So, where's Clare today that she couldn't join us?"

"Apparently she used her Clare superpowers and cleaned up her room with her dad's help," I smirked, as Adam asked, "And how did Mama Edwards react?"

"Clare hasn't texted me back in a while, so I'm guessing not too good," my eyes roamed around the Dot, which showed no sign of Clare, so I assumed she was alright. I tried to remain calm, taking deep breaths, as Adam shook his head, "Remember how you had to climb through Clare's parents bedroom window because Clare's room had garbage staked up the windows? I mean, you were a hoarder, but Clare helped you, so I'm sure Helen is alright."

"It took Clare months to help me clean out my room," I whispered, "I'm a very tough cookie to crack, I would've never done it all without her. I'm just worried, I hope she's alright. It's freezing out, I wouldn't want her to be all alone in the cold."

"She's not stupid Eli, if she wanted to, she'd come to the Dot, she knows we're here," Adam assured me, as my eyes glanced around a little, until I gasped, seeing Clare's shaking frame leaning against Morty.

"Oh shit," I hissed, rising from my seat, as I looked at Adam, who said, "Go, she needs you. I'll cover the bill and call Drew to pick me up."

"You sure?" I asked, as he nodded, "She looks like she has frostbite on the side of her face dude, go. Take her home to Cece, she'll know what to do."

I ran outside of the Dot, looking at Clare with wide eyes, as I slipped off my jacket and wrapped it around her. She didn't move, only remained in a statue form, "Come on Clare, it's fucking freezing out here. Why didn't you call me? I would've picked you up and brought you over to my house...you know, where it's warm."

The snow began to turn to hail as a smile creeped up on her face, "I-It's my entire fault Eli…if I was never born, she would've never been a hoarder. If my room wasn't there to hoard, she wouldn't be able to fill it, and she wouldn't be so attached. It's my fault, it always been."

Her purple lips were in a tight line, the bags beneath her eyes shining brightly as her body stuck to Morty. I growled, trying to make her budge, but she failed to assist me in moving her into Morty, "Clare, it's starting to hail, we need to talk, but not out here. Okay?"

She looked at me, and shook her head, "I-I can't move Eli."

"What are you talking about? Come on, left right, left right," I joked, trying to ease up the situation as she sniffled, "You're not going to believe me when I tell you this…but…I'm stuck to Morty."

"What?"

A smirk formed on my lips as she said, "Please don't laugh at me, I was upset, and I just decided to stand here until you two came out…but turns out Morty was adding up, snow wise, and now… Eli my butt is sticking to Morty."

I chuckled, wrapping my arms around her as I tried to breathe on her to keep her warm, "Alright, we'll think of something."

When I tried to push her off of Morty, she screeched, "Eli my skin! That's my butt, not my pants! That hurts!"

"You only have one choice Edwards," I said, glancing at her pants and her eyes widened, "No! I'm not taking my pants off, you can dream on Goldsworthy. I already had a bad enough day, with my parents fighting and whatnot, I'm not losing my pants too."

"It's either that, or you lose your butt," I shivered, the short sleeve shirt I was wearing obviously not helping with the hail starting to come down in-what felt like sacks of bricks.

"Fine."

My eyes widened as I watched a crying Clare Edwards unbutton her pants, and begin to strip. I covered her up as best as I could as she quickly slipped into Morty. The snow had covered up Morty's window, so no one could possibly see Clare without any pants on.

"This is so embarrassing," Clare whimpered, tears streaming down her face as I turned on Morty, the warmth slowly but surely coming out of the vents. I looked at my girlfriend, unsure of what to do that would make her feel better. Her upper thighs and the side of her face were covered with frostbite, while her purple lips quivered.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," I rolled my eyes, and began unzipping my pants, letting them slip off my legs.

Clare finally looked at me, and then eyed my boxers, "Before you laugh, I want you to know that I wasn't planning on getting half naked with my girlfriend in Morty, but since we are, I apologize on behalf of my skull boxers."

"They're so cute," Clare touched the fabric of my boxers, and grinned, "This is so…you."

"Can I keep touching them? Please, it's distracting me from thinking," she pleaded, as I shook my head, interlocking her hand with mine instead of her touching my boxers. I sighed, pulling her into a side embrace, as Morty filled up with heat.

"We need to talk Clare," I whispered, leaning my head on her head, as she leaned on my chest.

My shirt was soaked with tears already, and we were yet to get one word into the conversation. I sighed, raking my fingers through her curls, as I placed a kiss on her temple, "It's alright Clare, I'm here for you."

"They were fighting, she was crazy Eli, you should've seen her," she whimpered into my shoulder, snaking her right arm around my waist, and pulling me in closer. Our bodies fit perfectly beside each other, as I said, "Everyone has a problem Clare, no matter how severe, everyone has something. Nobody, no family, no relationship, no friendship, is perfect…"

"But if I wasn't alive-," I cut her off, "If you weren't alive I'd be a highly upset teenage boy having manic episodes every minute of their life."

"But if you didn't know I was alive, then why would you-," I cut her off again, and smirked, "I'd know Clare, even if you weren't alive, I'd know that you were out there somewhere, and that I didn't have you. I love you Clare, and I don't want you thinking about how you shouldn't be here, or that your mothers hoarding is your fault. This is a problem, that sadly, kids get pushed into the situation sometimes. It sucks, I know, but eventually, things do get better."

"The way they yell at each other Eli, it's scary," she whispered, as I rested her bare legs over my legs, letting the vents heat up her goose bump filled skin. Her heard rested on my chest, as I smiled comfortingly, "Life is scary Clare, people are scary, but this happened for a reason, your moms problem…it's all there for a reason."

"Why? To make me suffer?" her blue eyes spewed tears, as I shook my head, "It's not meant to make you suffer Clare, and I don't have an answer for it, until you find out the answer yourself. You're a smart, strong, loving girl, and I know that you'll get through this, because you're my valiant girlfriend, Super Edwards."

I kissed her forehead, as she said, "I'm glad someone thinks highly of me."

"Everyone does Edwards," I tilted her chin up, and breathed on her lips, "I think your lips look a little purple still…perhaps a kiss will warm you up?"

"You can try," she encouraged me, as I pressed my lips to hers, my tongue coaxing the outline of her frowned lips. I brought my fingers up to her sides, and began to move them over her body quickly, as a contagious smile spread across her lips, "Eli stop it! You know that tickles me! Stop!"

She giggled, trying to get away from me, as I towered over her, continuing to ignore her pleas. I kissed her lips, and said, "No one kisses Eli Goldsworthy and isn't happy when doing so, you can even ask Ms. Dawes."

"Ew, gross Eli," Clare slapped my chest, as I said, "Come on, admit it…you love me."

"I love you, okay? I'm just…right now, I'm still cold, I have no pants, I don't want to go home," I smiled, and said, "Well, Ms. Edwards, I come here to inform you that a warm room, that contains the Notebook movie, and pants is awaiting for you in a close five minute drive away at Hotel Eli."

"What would I do without you Eli?" she asked, as I pecked her lips, "I don't know Clare, but I have no idea what I'd do without you."

As I put Morty in gear, Clare looked out the side window, then looked at me, "Hey Eli…you know, my pants are still hanging off of Morty."

"He likes to outshine other hearses, and if wearing a pair of your pants helps him do so, then let my baby be."

**END OF "I BRUISE EASILY"**

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**Reviews?**

Before you tell me how different this was, how the moods changed suddenly, please refrain from doing that because I know what I did, and that's how I wanted it to come out and be :P Thank you!

Love you guys,

Cliffhanger Girl

3


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